Single-handed cord/cable management device

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a device for bundling cables, ropes, wires, or other long flexible materials that are desired to be bundled. The device comprises an arcuate strap for encircling bundled cables. The strap is preferably discontinuous, with first and second ends forming a mouth into a central cavity formed by an arcuate strap. Finger grips are located adjacent to the first and second ends, allowing fingers of a user to be used to pull the first and second ends of the strap to open the normally closed mouth of the device. The device also preferably includes engagement features on the first and second ends to allow the first and second ends to be forced into engagement to lock cables into the cavity formed by the arcuate shape of the strap.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention pertains generally to the organization andstorage of flexible tubes and cables, and more particularly to devicesfor releasably constraining flexible tubes and cable together in amanner amenable to quick and repeatable bundling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The need to coil or bundle wires, cables, flexible tubes, ropesand hoses exists throughout industry and home life. Devices such asextension cords, cables, air hoses, ropes, and other long, flexiblearticles (hereinafter referred to generically as “cables”) present astorage problem, where coiled cables often become tangled due to thelack of constraints to keep the cables properly coiled. The traditionalstorage method is to wrap the cables around a person's elbow and betweenthe thumb and forefinger. Once the cable has been coiled, some form ofstrap is placed around the coil and fastened to prevent the coil fromtangling or uncoiling.

[0003] An early device devised to act as a strap consisted of a simplepiece of bendable wire which could be twisted to retain the wire aroundthe bundled cables. Twist ties, as these wire retainers are frequentlycalled, provide an economical tie, but can not be easily attachedsingle-handedly, and furthermore have limited lifespans due to fatiguingof the wire. Furthermore, untwisting the tie can often be difficult.

[0004] Plastic variations of the twist tie have been developed whichrely on toothed engagement fasteners to prevent the tie from cominglose. One variation of a plastic tie uses a serrated end which is passedthrough a slot in the opposite end of the tie as a means of adjustablyfastening the tie. Although this construction is economical, it likewisedoes not lend itself to single-handed installation. Furthermore, oncefastened, the serrated edges can be difficult to withdraw from the slot,making it difficult to remove the tie, and thus release bundled cables.

[0005] Later developments, such as the tying means shown in U.S. Pat.No. 4,958,791 to Nakamura, incorporate one or more teeth on the end orends of the strap to lock the strap in the closed position. These strapsalso utilize a normally open position to ease the difficulties ofplacing cables into the cavity of the device, allowing easier singlehanded operation. Once the device has been wrapped around the object orobjects to be constrained, the ends of the strap are forced intoengagement, locking the tie into place. Nakamura provides a pair of tabsto release the engagement teeth, allowing the band once fastened to beunlocked. Once unlocked, however, the mouth of the band is open,allowing bundled cables or wires to fall from the device. Furthermore,grouping the cables one at a time into the Nakamura device is difficult,since there is no method provided for holding the device whileindividual cables are placed into the device.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide acable management device which is easily held to allow cables to beplaced into the device one at a time, while reducing the likelihood ofcables already placed into the device from falling out of the device. Itis also an object of the present invention to provide a cable managementdevice having a controllable mouth gap to ease the difficulties ofplacing cables or wires into the device. Finally, it is also an objectof the present invention to provide a cable management device that canbe readily released and reused.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention is directed to a cable bundling device. Thecable bundling device has a flexible strap portion for surrounding thebights of a bundled group of cables, wires, or other long flexiblearticles (hereafter referred to generically as “cables”). The strapforms a circular shape to surround the bights. The circular shape formsa central cavity within which the cables may be restrained. The straphas three states. The strap has a first and a second end which form adiscontinuity in the perimeter of the strap. Finger grips are mountedadjacent to the ends of the strap, allowing the fingers of a user to beinserted into the finger grips to pull the ends apart, thereby opening amouth into the cavity of the cable bundling device. The strap has arelaxed state wherein the first and second ends are close together, suchthat the mouth of the device must be opened through use of the fingergrips before cables can be placed into or removed from the cablebundling device. The strap also has an open state wherein the ends ofthe strap have been pulled apart to form the mouth.

[0008] In a further embodiment, the cable bundling device has engagementfeatures located on the ends of the strap, allowing the strap ends to belocked together. The engagement features may be a tooth extending from afirst end of the strap, and a slot extending from the second end.Placement of the tooth into the slot limits the ability of the two endsto be separated, thereby locking cables into the cavity of the cablebundling device. Placement of the tooth into the slot may beaccomplished by forcing the ends of the strap to overlap, allowing thetooth and slot to enter into an interlocked state.

[0009] In a still further embodiment, engagement features may include aplurality of teeth on one end, with at least one tooth on the oppositeend, such that the position of the two strap ends can be varied in thelocked state allowing the cable bundling device to be tightened around agroup of bundled cables.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description of the preferred embodiment, and from theclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a cable bundling deviceaccording to the present invention as viewed along the long axis of thedevice, where the cable bundling device is shown in a relaxed state.

[0012]FIG. 1A is a detail view of the mouth area of FIG. 1.

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a cable bundling device according present inventionin an opened state.

[0014]FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a cable bundling deviceaccording to the present invention, with the cable bundling devicenested in the palm of a user's hand.

[0015]FIG. 4 shows a cable bundling device according to the presentinvention in cross-section as viewed along the long axis of the device,where the cable bundling device is shown in locked state.

[0016]FIG. 5 shows in perspective a cable bundling device according tothe present invention, wherein the device is formed from a metallicstrap.

[0017]FIG. 6 shows a view in partial cross-section along plane B-B asshown in FIG. 7 of a cable bundling device as viewed along an axisperpendicular to the long axis of the device, wherein the finger gripscomprise channels and backstraps.

[0018]FIG. 7 shows a view in partial cross-section along plane A-A asshown in FIG. 6 of a cable bundling device as viewed along the long axisof the device, wherein the finger grips comprise channels andbackstraps.

[0019]FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a cable bundling deviceaccording to the present invention as viewed along the long axis of thedevice, where the cable bundling device utilizes multiple teethengagement means on both ends to provide a variable locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like elements,there is shown a presently preferred embodiment of a cable bundlingdevice according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, thedevice 100 includes a flexible arcuate strap 102. The strap 102 ispreferably made from a material having an elastic tendency to return toa relaxed state. Such materials include various plastics, such as nylonand teflon. Alternately, the strap may be formed from a metallicmaterial such as spring steel, as shown in FIG. 5, and discussed furtherbelow.

[0021] The device 100 of the present invention has three states. Thenormal state is associated with a relaxed state of the device 100, inwhich the first 104 and second 106 ends substantially abut, preventingcables 128 bundled in the device 100 from freely falling from the cavity126 of the device 100. The second state of the device is when the first104 and second 106 ends have been forced apart to open the mouth 124 ofthe device 100. The third state is a locked state discussed furtherbelow.

[0022] The strap of the present invention may be made from any flexiblematerial, as long as the material has sufficient strength and resiliencyto accomplish the present invention. Flexible plastics, metal, rubber,are preferred due to the ease with which the cable bundling device canbe formed from these materials. The finger loops which are provided toallow the two ends to be separated may be integrally formed with thestrap, or may be formed separately and attached to the strap, such asthrough bonding, welding, or mechanical fastening.

[0023] The strap has a first 104 and a second 106 end. In the relaxedstate, the ends 104 and 106 of the strap substantially complete thecircumference of the arcuate shape of the strap. The first end 104 ofthe strap has a male engagement structure such as a raised tooth 108(shown in FIG. 1A which is a detail view of the mouth area of FIG. 1)extending above the outer surface 110 of the strap. The tooth 108 is atits highest at its point 114 opposite the first end 104 of the strap,and tapers to join the outer surface 110 of the strap 102 adjacent thefirst end 104 of the strap. The second end 106 of the strap 102 has aslot 112 through the material of the strap 102. The slot 112 has a frontedge 118 which is parallel to a long axis of the device (shown in FIG. 3as 302), such that when the tooth 108 is placed in the slot 112, theface 116 of the tooth rests against the front edge 118 of the slot 112.

[0024] First 120 and second 122 finger grips are located adjacent to thefirst 104 and second 106 ends of the strap 102. The finger grips 120,122 are preferably closed rings or loops through or into which a fingercan be inserted. Other shapes, such as a finger hook or a thimble orloops or cup-shaped shell not necessarily closed, can be used, howeversuch shapes may present a tendency to snag on other objects.

[0025] The relaxed state of the device 100 results in the mouth 124 ofthe device (forming the entrance into the cavity 126 of the device)being substantially closed. The first 104 and second 106 ends of thestrap 102 may be allowed to overlap, as the desired result is torestrain cables 128 from freely leaving the cavity 126 unless the device100 is forced into an open state.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the circumference of the arcuate strap 102 ispreferably chosen so that the strap 102 comfortably rests in the palm202 of a user's hand between the thumb 204 and middle fingers 206. Thefinger grips 120, 122 are disposed such that the middle finger 206 andthe thumb 204 can be inserted into the first 120 and second 122 fingergrips. The circumference of the arcuate strap 102 may varied toaccommodate differing sizes and amounts of cables to be bundled.Variance of the circumference of the arcuate strap 102 may becoordinated with re-positioning of the finger grips 120, 122 to maintaincorrect ergonomic positioning. Although the preferred embodiment allowsthe arcuate strap 102 to rest in the palm 202 of a user's hand, the onlysize limitation is the ability of a user to single-handedly operate thefinger grips 120, 122 to open the device 100.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the length 302 of device 100 may besufficiently long to provide a protective layer in the palm 202 of ahand when cables 118 are being placed into the device 100. Theprotection provided both helps in keeping a user's hand clean, since thecables do not contact the hand holding the device 100, but also providea protective layer to prevent friction from causing injury to the hand.Also, the protection provided insulates a user from rough or frayedsurfaces associated with a cable.

[0028] The orientation of the device 100 in the palm 202 of a user'shand furthermore allows the elbow (not shown) of a user to be used tomaintain loop length while cable 128 is being wound into the device 100.With the device 100 in the palm 202 of the hand, the mouth 124 can beopened each time a bight is passed into the device 100, or heldcontinuously open while cable 128 is bundled.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the device 100 may be placed into a lockedclosed state by forcing the first end 104 of the arcuate strap 102 intoa position under the second end 106, such that the engagement tooth 108extends through the slot 112 in the second end 106. The strap 102 ispreferably formed such that the first end 104 of the strap 102 is biasedagainst the second end 106 when the tooth 108 is inserted into the slot112. In order to release the locked engagement, the finger grip 120 onthe first end 104 may be pushed inward, disengaging the tooth 108 fromthe slot 112 and allowing the mouth 124 of the device 100 to be opened.

[0030] Although the device is preferably fabricated from a plastic, thedevice may be fabricated from other materials. Shown in FIG. 5, thedevice 100 may be fabricated from a spring metal strap 502. The fingergrips 504, 506 may be attached to the spring metal strap 502, such as bybonding or mechanical fastening. The finger grips 504, 506 are shown inFIG. 5 as being riveted 508 to the strap 502. The engagement tooth 108may also be formed from a separate piece and bonded or mechanicallyfastened to the strap 502, or may alternately be formed by punching araised tooth or displaced portion into the strap 502 itself. The slot112 when used with a metallic strap may also be formed by punching arectangular hole or displaced portion through the strap 502, or mayalternately be formed by punching a tooth shape into the second end 106,such that when the tooth 108 of the first end 104 is aligned with thetooth 508 of the second end 106, the pocket formed by the tooth 508 ofthe second end allows the tooth 108 of the first end to nest into andengage the tooth 508 of the second end. In order to accomplish suchnesting, the second tooth 508 must be sized such that the first tooth108 will nest inside the second tooth 508.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the finger grips 120, 122 do not needto be external to the strap 102, but may rather be integrally formedinto the strap 102 itself. FIG. 6, shown in partial cross-section, showsa cable bundling device 100 according to the present invention whereinchannels 602 have been molded into the sides of the device 100 to allowfingers to pass between backstraps 604 and the body 606 of the device100. As shown in FIG. 7, the channels 602 result in a constriction inthe cavity 126 when viewed along the long axis of the device 100.

[0032] Although the presently preferred embodiment relies on a singletoothed engagement system for simplicity, multiple tooth engagementsystems may be used in conjunction with the cable bundling device 100 ofthe present invention. Shown in FIG. 8 is a multi-tooth engagementsystem used in conjunction with the present invention. A first end 802of the strap 102 has multiple teeth 804, each tooth 804 having aconsistent size. The teeth 804 face the exterior 808 of the arcuatestrap 102 in its relaxed state . The second end 806 of the strap 102 hasan inner surface 810 on which multiple teeth 812 are formed, with thesize of the teeth 812 consistent with the size of the teeth 804 on thefirst end 802. The teeth 804, 812 on the first 802 and second 806 endsare preferably back-cut, such that tension in the strap 102 when engagedcauses engaged teeth 804, 812 to pull together.

[0033] The teeth 804, 812 when engaged can be released simply bypressing inward on the first end 802 of the device. With the device 102cradled in the palm 202 of a hand, the device 100 can be opened to allowcables 124 to be passed through the mouth 120 into the cavity 122,relaxed to restrain the cables 124 within the cavity 122, and closed toa locked engagement state without having to change the position of thedevice 100 within a user's palm 202.

[0034] Should the user desire to release the cables 124 , the user canagain place the bundling device 100 into the palm 202 of his or herhand, with a thumb 204 and an opposing digit such as the middle finger206 inserted into the finger grips 120, 122. As the engagement means ofthe bundling device 100 have an overlying and an underlying feature, thelocked state of the bundling device 100 can be released by extending thedigit in the finger grip 122 adjacent to the over-riding engagementfeature, and extending the finger. Alternately, the engagement featuremay be released by clenching the digit in the finger grip 120 adjacentto the underlying engagement feature, or by a combination of extendingone digit and clenching the other to cause the engagement features todisengage from each other.

[0035] The description of the embodiments herein are provided to enableany person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention.Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein maybe applied to other embodiments without the use of the inventivefaculty. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited tothe embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 1) A cable bundling device comprising: a flexiblearcuate strap portion, said strap portion having a first and a secondend, and an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surfaceforming a perimeter of said flexible arcuate strap portion, wherein saidfirst and second ends form a discontinuity in said perimeter of saidarcuate strap portion, and wherein said inner surface forms a cavity;first and second finger grips, said first finger grip being locatedadjacent to said first end, and said second finger grip being locatedadjacent to said second end, wherein said first and second finger gripsallow interposition of a finger between said flexible arcuate strap andsaid finger grip, wherein said first and second ends substantially abuteach other when said flexible arcuate strap portion is in a relaxedstate. 2) The cable bundling device of claim 1, wherein said first andsecond ends overlap when said flexible arcuate strap portion is relaxed.3) The cable bundling device of claim 1, further comprising a maleengagement feature located adjacent to said first end, and a femaleengagement feature located adjacent to said second end, wherein saidmale and female engagement features interlock when said flexible arcuatestrap is forced into a closed state. 4) The cable bundling device ofclaim 3, wherein said male engagement feature is a tooth extending abovesaid outer surface of said flexible arcuate strap, and said femaleengagement feature is a slot through said second end of said flexiblearcuate strap. 5) The cable bundling device of claim 3, wherein saidmale engagement feature is a tooth extending above said outer surface ofsaid flexible arcuate strap, and said female engagement feature is apocket formed in said interior surface of said flexible arcuate strapadjacent to said second end. 6) The cable bundling device of claim 3,wherein said finger loops comprise features integrally formed with saidflexible arcuate strap. 7) The cable bundling device of claim 6, whereinsaid flexible arcuate strap is formed from a plastic material. 8) Thecable bundling device of claim 3, wherein said flexible arcuate strap isformed from a metallic material. 9) The cable bundling device of claim3, wherein said finger grips are formed separately from said flexiblearcuate strap, and are bonded to said flexible arcuate strap. 10) Thecable bundling device of claim 3, wherein said finger grips are formedseparately from said flexible arcuate strap, and are mechanicallyfastened to said flexible arcuate strap. 11) The cable bundling deviceof claim 3, wherein said male engagement feature comprises at least onetooth, wherein said at least one tooth extends from said outer surfaceof said flexible arcuate strap adjacent to said first end, said at leastone tooth having a highest end opposite from said first end of saidflexible arcuate strap, and wherein said female engagement featurecomprises a plurality of teeth, said plurality of teeth extending froman inner surface of said flexible arcuate strap adjacent to said secondend and having a highest end opposite from said second end of saidflexible arcuate strap. 12) The cable bundling device of claim 3,wherein said male engagement feature comprises a plurality of teeth,said plurality of teeth extending from said outer surface of saidflexible arcuate strap adjacent to said first end, said plurality ofteeth further having a highest end opposite from said first end of saidflexible arcuate strap, and wherein said female engagement featurecomprises at least one tooth, said at least one tooth extending from ansaid surface of said flexible arcuate strap adjacent to said second endand having a highest end opposite from said second end of said flexiblearcuate strap. 13) The cable bundling device of claim 1 wherein at leastone finger grip comprises a ring, said ring being substantially circularin shape and having an opening through the center of said ring, saidopening being sufficiently large to allow insertion of a user's digitinto said opening, said ring being oriented substantially perpendicularto said outer surface of said flexible arcuate strap and affixed to saidouter surface of said flexible arcuate strap adjacent to said first end.14) The cable bundling device of claim 1 wherein at least one fingergrip comprises a cup-shaped shell, said cup shaped shell oriented toallow insertion of a digit associated with a hand of a user when saiddevice is cradled in the hand of a user. 15) The cable bundling deviceof claim 1 wherein at least one finger grip comprises a channel formedin said flexible arcuate strap, said channel comprising a depression insaid flexible arcuate strap, said channel further comprising a backstrap, said back strap positioned to constrain movement of a digit insaid channel. 16) A cable bundling device comprising: a flexible arcuatestrap portion, said strap having a first and a second end, and a relaxedstate said first and second ends forming a discontinuity in a perimeterof said arcuate strap, said strap further having an inner and an outersurface, wherein the perimeter of the strap forms a cavity into whichcables can be inserted, said cavity being oriented along a long axis,said long axis passing through an approximate center of said cavity; afirst finger loop adjacent said first end, said finger loop forming anopening into which a user's digit may be extended, wherein said openingis substantially perpendicular to said long axis; a second finger loopadjacent said second end, said finger loop forming an opening into whicha user's digit may be extended, wherein said opening is substantiallyperpendicular to said long axis; and at least one male and at least onefemale engagement feature, wherein said male and female portionsinterlock when said first and second ends of said arcuate strap areforced into overlapping contact, wherein said first and second ends ofsaid flexible arcuate strap abut when said flexible arcuate strap is insaid relaxed state . 17) A cable bundling device according to claim 16,wherein said male engagement feature comprises at least one toothextending from said outer surface of said flexible arcuate strap, saidat least one tooth having an engagement surface extending substantiallyperpendicularly from said outer strap and parallel to said discontinuityformed by said first and second ends, said tooth further having a topedge along an edge of said engagement surface located distally from saidouter surface of said flexible arcuate strap, said tooth tapering fromsaid top edge to said outer surface of said strap adjacent to said firstend of said strap. 18) A cable bundling device comprising: a flexiblestrap, said strap having a related state, said strap in said relaxedstate forming a cylindrical shell about an axis of rotation, said strapfurther having a width and an inner and an outer surface, said strapfurther having a discontinuity through said strap along a linesubstantially parallel to said axis of revolution; a first end, saidfirst end forming a first boundary of said strap along saiddiscontinuity; a second end, said second end forming a second boundaryof said strap along said discontinuity, said second end being oppositefrom said first end across said discontinuity; a first finger griplocated adjacent said first end; and a second finger grip locatedadjacent said second end. 19) A cable bundling device comprising: aflexible strap portion, said strap portion having a first and a secondend, said strap portion is a relaxed state forming an arcuate perimeter,wherein said first and second ends form a discontinuity in saidperimeter of said strap portion; first and second finger grips, saidfirst finger grip being located adjacent to said first end, and saidsecond finger grip being located adjacent to said second end, whereinsaid first finger grip allows interposition of a finger between saidflexible strap and said first finger grip, and said second finger gripallows interposition of a finger between said flexible strap and saidsecond finger grip; wherein said first and second ends are separatedfrom each other a distance smaller than a cable to be inserted into saiddevice when said flexible strap portion is in said relaxed state. 20) Acable bundling device, said cable bundling device comprising: a cablebundling means for constraining substantially parallel bights of acable, said cable bundling means having a relaxed state for restrainingcables within said cable bundling means, said cable bundling meansfurther comprising an opening for allowing cables to be placed withinsaid cable bundling means, said cable bundling means further comprisinga closed state for preventing said cable bundling means from beingunintentionally opened; first and second opening means for allowing auser to force said cable bundling means into an open state; and anengagement means for engaging said cable bundling means into said closedposition. 21) A cable bundling device according to claim 20, whereinsaid cable bundling means comprises an arcuate plastic collar. 22) Acable bundling device according to claim 21, wherein said first openingmeans comprises a finger hook, said finger hook extending from saidcable bundling means such that a digit of a user can be interposedbetween at least a portion of said finger hook and said cable bundlingmeans. 23) A cable bundling device according to claim 21, wherein saidfirst opening means comprises a finger loop, said finger loop beingconnected to said cable bundling means, wherein said finger loop is forreceiving a finger of a user, said finger loop being positioned suchthat a finger in said finger loop may be used to urge said cablebundling means into an open state. 24) A cable bundling device accordingto claim 20, wherein said cable bundling means comprises a flexiblemetallic strap. 25) A cable bundling device according to claim 24,wherein said engagement means further comprises a first and a seconddisplaced portion of said flexible metallic strap, said first and seconddisplaced portions positioned such that said first displaced portionnests in said second displaced portion when said cable bundling means isforced into said closed position.